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About Me

Politics, gardening, making home-made bread and pasta. Enjoy Everything Italian: the language, film, books, culture, art. Favorite places: Rome, Naples, and Palermo. I was born a Yankee, but have lived the majority of my life as a Southerner I am a proud LIBERAL Democrat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVdz985HTJk

Note regarding the First Circuit:
Judge Michael Boudin took senior status on June 1, 2013 leaving one seat vacant - thus leaving the Democrats with the majority of ‘active’ judicial seats on the First Circuit.

Note:
The numbers up above do not include the semi-retired judges that continue to serve on senior status and hear cases from time to time.
Regarding only the senior status judges: 11 of the circuits have a Republican majority and 2 of the circuits have a Democratic majority.

On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision regarding the case called Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, in which the plaintiffs charged that the education of black children in separate public schools from their white counterparts was unconstitutional.

Brown v. Board of Education meant that the University of Alabama had to be desegregated. In the years following, hundreds of African-Americans applied for admission, but all were denied. The University worked with police to find any disqualifying qualities, or when this failed, intimidated the applicants. But in 1963, three African-Americans with perfect qualifications—Vivian Malone Jones, Dave McGlathery and James Hood—applied, refusing to be intimidated. In early June a federal district judge ordered that they be admitted, and forbade Governor Wallace from interfering

On June 11, Vivian Malone and James Hood arrived to register. Wallace, attempting to uphold his promise as well as for political show, blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium with the media watching. Then, flanked by federal marshals, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach told Wallace to step aside. However, Wallace cut Katzenbach off and refused, giving a speech on States' rights. Katzenbach called President John F. Kennedy, who federalized the Alabama National Guard. General Henry Graham then commanded Wallace to step aside, saying, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States." Wallace then spoke further, but eventually moved, and Malone and Hood registered as students.

Vivian Juanita Malone Jones (July 15, 1942, in Mobile, Alabama – October 13, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an African-American woman, one of the first two African Americans to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963 and the university's first African American graduate. She was made famous when Alabama Governor George Wallace blocked them from enrolling at the all-white university

Eric Holder is married to Dr. Sharon Malone, an obstetrician; the couple has three children. Malone's sister was Vivian Malone Jones, famous for her part in the which led to integration at the University of Alabama...

Four years ago, in 2008, the day before the election Pres Obama's grandmother died.
That night in 2008 Obama gave his final campaign speech in North Carolina and spoke of his grandmother dying earlier that morning.
She was the grandmother that he grew up with.
His sister Maya was by her side in Hawaii when she passed away.

YouTube video description below...

Nov 3, 2008

In North Carolina, Barack Obama speaks about his grandmother, Madeyln Dunham or "Toot," who passed away just this morning, one day before the election.

"She was a quiet hero," Obama said.

Toot, short for Tutu (grandmother in Hawaiian) died from cancer at 86 years old.

Obama stated, "She's gone home."

Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, issued the following statement:

"It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.

Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer."

Back in 2007 Senator Obama spent the morning in a home of an elderly man: sweeping/mopping the floor, making his bed, making his breakfast, doing the laundry, etc.
The first video below shows Senator Obama working in the home - and the second video is an update.

Walk a day in my shoes: Barack Obama/Pauline Beck

Here's a two page article and SEVEN PHOTOS regarding Obama's day of volunteering...

In 2007 then-Senator Barack Obama spent a day with Pauline Beck, a homecare worker. He worked alongside her, getting to know the daily life and concerns of a homecare worker. Now, as President, he has taken action that will require homecare workers recieve at least a minimum wage and overtime protections - which many were previously exempt from.